State Senator Scott Wagner takes camera from tracker at private event

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SPRING GARDEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- State Senator Scott Wagner took matters into his own hands at an event on Tuesday in York County.

The Republican senator, who is running for governor, is caught on camera confronting a man recording Wagner's speech at the Country Club of York.

It all happened after Wagner realized the man was a campaign tracker for American Bridge 21st Century, which Wagner described as a liberal special interest group. A tracker is a person hired by the opposing political party to follow a candidate.

Wagner is seen on camera saying, "I'm going to confiscate your camera. I'm a member here, and you're not a member here, and you're trespassing."

Wagner then approaches the tracker, who is not identified, and takes his camera.

The man then starts recording on his phone, asking for his camera back, but Wagner refused.

The tracker is asked to leave, but he refuses to until he gets his gear back.

In a statement, Wagner said: Yesterday a tracker, from a Washington D.C. liberal special interest group funded by dark money and supporting Tom Wolf, lied and trespassed on private property for a speech that I was giving in my role as a Senator. Instead of leaving when he was asked the tracker continued to harass me and the people at the event, and finally I assisted in removing his camera. There are times when there is no choice but to stand up and confront the cheater in the room.

I requested that club management call local police to assist in removing the trespasser from the premises.

Let me be crystal clear -- Tom Wolf is not going to intimidate me during this campaign. I welcome his attacks and the attacks of the liberal special interests. We need a Governor who is strong enough to stand up for the people of Pennsylvania -- and I can assure you that no one will be stronger than me when it comes to putting the everyday lives of Pennsylvania families first.

Lizzy Price, a spokesperson with the American Bridge 21st Century, said the incident is a first.

"It's never happened to American Bridge trackers before, and we've been tracking for years. And I think it goes to show you know exactly who Scott Wagner is."

She said Wagner's reaction was inappropriate.

Price said, "Scott Wagner clearly can't handle the pressure of the campaign trail, and I think that calls into serious doubt whether he can handle the pressures of leading the state of Pennsylvania."

She said the camera was returned to the tracker, but the memory card was taken out. However, the video was saved to the camera.